NAYPYIDAW, Aug 8 (AFP): China's increasing assertiveness in maritime disputes was at the heart of Southeast Asian regional talks Friday as diplomats began a series of meetings also expected to highlight concerns over host Myanmar's reform progress.
Myanmar President Thein Sein began the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign minister meetings with a plea for the regional bloc to strengthen its ability to push for "peaceful settlement of disputes and differences".
"The current developments in the world are causing serious concern to us," he added, without giving specific examples, in a speech in the capital Naypyidaw.
Recent acts by Beijing in the South China Sea, including the positioning of an oil rig in waters also claimed by Vietnam, have sparked a fresh spike in regional tensions.
China Sea row looms as SE Asia talks begin
FE Team | Published: August 09, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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